Alex Lacey delighted following Pompey victory.
Alex Lacey heaped praise on his Gills team-mates for “battling to the end” against table toppers Portsmouth on Saturday.
Steve Lovell’s men won 2-0 at Fratton Park with Lacey scoring a crucial second goal just before the break to take the sting out of Portsmouth before starring in a solid second half defensive display as the Gills got back to winning ways.
Talking after the game, Lacey valued the clean sheet more than the goal, only the second of his Gills career.
He said: “I think the whole team defended fantastically, we kept our shape really well and we narrowed down the spaces and made it difficult for them to play through the lines, it was a very good tactical performance.”
Two goals in the first-half put the Gills ahead and a solid defensive display from the whole team ensured the Gills picked up their first win of the season.
“Once 2-0 up we were in a good position- they had a lot of crosses in to the box, but we dealt with them very well. We will take confidence from today but it’s just one game.”
Speaking about his goal, Lacey was pleased to net his first of the season.
He added: “You don’t get to many balls dropping to you in the six-yard box, and I reacted quite quickly. There was only one place I was putting that.
“They haven’t lost here at home and they’ve been in very good form – and performing the way we just have we must take a lot of confidence from that and take it in to next week. We really battled to the end.”
In front of over 20,000 at Fratton Park the Gills fans held their own and Lacey, who followed up Tom Eaves' stunning opener, was impressed with the noise made in the away end.
He said: “I think it was fantastic effort, it was a very good atmosphere today and they contributed to that greatly – credit to them for travelling and I’m just glad we could repay them.”